March 8, 2016

Governor Cuomo
Executive Chamber
Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224

Senator Flanagan
Majority Leader
Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12247

Senator Klein
Senate Co-Leader
Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12247

Senator Stewart-Cousins
Minority Leader
Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12247

Assemblymember Heastie
Speaker
Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12248

Assemblymember Kolb
Minority Leader
Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12248

Re: Request you convene an open leaders meeting to discuss ethics reforms
Dear Messrs. Cuomo, Flanagan, Klein, Heastie, Kolb and Ms. Stewart-Cousins:
We write to urge that you hold an open public leaders meeting to discuss and negotiate - in
public - ethics reforms necessary to restore New Yorkers battered confidence in Albany.
A recent polls shows that 90 percent of New Yorkers believe that unethical behavior is a serious
problem in state government. The recent convictions of two of Albanys long-time legislative
leaders have shocked even the most cynical observers.
If history is any guide, the typical Albany pattern will be to discuss ideas over the next few
weeks during private negotiations and then secretly hammer out an ethics deal. That secret deal
will then be heralded as historic with unprecedented new reforms that will be a silver bullet
to resolve the states ethics shortcomings. The deal will be folded into the budget or end-ofsession crush and the details and practical effects of the new reforms will not come to light
until they are in operation.
Over time, it will then become clear that loopholes in those reforms will undermine many of
their asserted benefits. Thus, what was heralded as historic reforms will have little positive
impact and Albany will return to its status quo until the next scandal. As a result, New
Yorkers confidence in the integrity of state government will further erode.
New Yorkers deserve better. Its time for meaningful actions, changes that are hammered out in
public, not behind closed doors.
Our organizations have recommended clear, practical reforms that directly address New Yorks
ethics crisis. Various proposals have emerged from the Governor and some of the legislative
conferences. But there has been little public dialogue about agreements to respond to what some
describe as a political crime wave.

Instead of closed-door negotiations accompanied by separate public pronouncements and finger

pointing, we recommend something different: a public discussion and negotiation to solve the
ethics problems plaguing state government.
We call on you to hold an open leaders meeting, with one topic ethics.
We ask that you take up some of the proposals that have been introduced, either as program bills
or by individual legislators, and discuss and negotiate their provisions in the open.
It is, after all, the peoples government. And it is clear that the public is sick of what they have
seen. As the peoples representatives, we urge you to open up the Capitols windows and let the
sun shine in let the people see and hear the plans you collectively have to respond to Albanys
ethics crisis.
And then, show New Yorkers the people who voted for you, whose tax dollars pay for
government that you can collectively solve this shocking problem.
Our organizations promise to do what we can to discuss ideas and proposals to respond to this
crisis, but ultimately it is up to you to respond.
Sincerely,
Lawrence Norden, Deputy Director
Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School
Dick Dadey, Executive Director
Citizens Union
Susan Lerner, Executive Director
Common Cause/NY
Dare Thompson, President
League of Women Voters, New York State
Blair Horner, Executive Director
New York Public Interest Research Group
John Kaehny, Executive Director
Reinvent Albany